Half Price Books is the nation’s largest family-owned new and used bookstore chain, with more than 120 retail locations in 16 states. Stores are open seven days a week and buy and sell new and used books, including brand new releases and select New York Times bestsellers. A fiscally responsible and debt-free company, Half Price Books’ annual revenue is more than $240 million.

The first Half Price Books opened in 1972 in a converted laundromat in Dallas. Creating a company with the idea of offering a great product at a great price, co-founders Ken Gjemre and Pat Anderson stocked the store with more than 2,000 books from their personal libraries. Half Price Books’ mission statement, as expressed by Anderson, is to “be fair to customers and our employees, promote literacy, be kind to the environment and remain financially viable so we may continue.” Today, the company is still run with the same philosophy by Pat’s daughter, Sharon Anderson Wright.